At Work: Help make sure your resume has all the right code words

Published: Monday, November 4, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 5:14 p.m.

Q: After applying online to hundreds of jobs and not getting any responses, I have rewritten and tweaked my resume countless times.

My jobs have revolved around varying job titles but were mostly clerk-administrative work. I'm proficient on computers using only the basic programs, but I have not applied to jobs requiring programs I don't know.

I am just plain tired of these fruitless job searches.

What do I do now?

A: Applying online for a job is, perhaps, the most frustrating part of a job search. Resumes are not read personally when they arrive. If an organization uses a jobs-application program, as most do now, it is using a database to filter the incoming resumes.

As with any system, there are pros and cons for both the job hunter and the company. The "con" for job applicants is that they can't change or modify the databases, which means they have "to get with the program." Forgive the pun.

The strongest "pro" for companies is that they don't have to hire a person to read and sort through resumes all day. The program will choose the top 20 resume matches.

One popularly used program is ONET-SOC AutoCoder. Each job title has certain words coded into it. If those words don't appear on the resume, the resume will receive a low score and the company won't see it, even if you have been in a particular type of job for years.

A 70 percent match is considered "positive" and will place your resume in the running. A job hunter's key to success is to use the right code words on the resume, which means customizing every resume before sending it. Yes, the process is time-consuming and requires computer literacy.

Jill Hinrichs, a professional career strategist, asks job hunters to find and forward to her several job descriptions for which they want to apply. A typical job hunter might immediately apply and upload the resume onto that company's website.

Some job hunters don't even spend the time to include cover letters. This is not a good strategy. If you don't care to write about how you are a match to the job, you won't be good at explaining your qualifications and how you will contribute to the company in an interview.

Next, Hinrichs inputs the job requirements into the ONET coder program, at onetsocautocoder.com/plus/onetmatch. This free program digests the requirements and categorizes them under appropriate job titles. She then does the same with the client's resume. This is where code words become critical. You may have been an editor for 10-plus years, but if your resume doesn't use the code words established by ONET for the "editor" job title, your resume will receive a low score and go no further in the application process. Since the program is free, you can test your resume for each job description before you send it.

If your resume has a low score for that particular job, add those code words required under the ONET job title description.

If you achieve a high match, submit your resume with confidence. If you still receive no responses, you may be applying too late in the process.

Email all your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at LindseyNovakyahoo.com. She answers all emails.

<p><b>Q: </b>After applying online to hundreds of jobs and not getting any responses, I have rewritten and tweaked my resume countless times.</p><p>My jobs have revolved around varying job titles but were mostly clerk-administrative work. I'm proficient on computers using only the basic programs, but I have not applied to jobs requiring programs I don't know.</p><p>I am just plain tired of these fruitless job searches.</p><p>What do I do now?</p><p><b>A: </b>Applying online for a job is, perhaps, the most frustrating part of a job search. Resumes are not read personally when they arrive. If an organization uses a jobs-application program, as most do now, it is using a database to filter the incoming resumes.</p><p>As with any system, there are pros and cons for both the job hunter and the company. The "con" for job applicants is that they can't change or modify the databases, which means they have "to get with the program." Forgive the pun.</p><p>The strongest "pro" for companies is that they don't have to hire a person to read and sort through resumes all day. The program will choose the top 20 resume matches.</p><p>One popularly used program is ONET-SOC AutoCoder. Each job title has certain words coded into it. If those words don't appear on the resume, the resume will receive a low score and the company won't see it, even if you have been in a particular type of job for years.</p><p>A 70 percent match is considered "positive" and will place your resume in the running. A job hunter's key to success is to use the right code words on the resume, which means customizing every resume before sending it. Yes, the process is time-consuming and requires computer literacy.</p><p>Jill Hinrichs, a professional career strategist, asks job hunters to find and forward to her several job descriptions for which they want to apply. A typical job hunter might immediately apply and upload the resume onto that company's website.</p><p>Some job hunters don't even spend the time to include cover letters. This is not a good strategy. If you don't care to write about how you are a match to the job, you won't be good at explaining your qualifications and how you will contribute to the company in an interview.</p><p>Next, Hinrichs inputs the job requirements into the ONET coder program, at onetsocautocoder.com/plus/onetmatch. This free program digests the requirements and categorizes them under appropriate job titles. She then does the same with the client's resume. This is where code words become critical. You may have been an editor for 10-plus years, but if your resume doesn't use the code words established by ONET for the "editor" job title, your resume will receive a low score and go no further in the application process. Since the program is free, you can test your resume for each job description before you send it.</p><p>If your resume has a low score for that particular job, add those code words required under the ONET job title description.</p><p>If you achieve a high match, submit your resume with confidence. If you still receive no responses, you may be applying too late in the process.</p><p><i>Email all your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at LindseyNovakyahoo.com. She answers all emails.</i></p>